


Birthday Boy

by badjujuboo (miztrezboo)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Domestic Fluff, Future Fic, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-20
Updated: 2014-08-20
Packaged: 2018-02-13 23:31:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2169468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miztrezboo/pseuds/badjujuboo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been seven years since their last show and Liam knows Harry isn't enjoying it as much as he should. All that changes though, when he spots their little boy in the crowd below.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>or those Nashville pics of Harry and his new little friend exploded into FEELINGS and fic. obvs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Birthday Boy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mrsyt31](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrsyt31/gifts), [venti_turtl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/venti_turtl/gifts), [wolfh00r](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfh00r/gifts), [beingothrwrldly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/beingothrwrldly/gifts).



> this is all my girls fault. and it really has no beginning or end... i dont even know but HERE HAPPY FEELS to the other 4 of my ot5 xo
> 
> unbeta'd soz.

Harry's fretting.

He's fiddling with his mic more than usual and he's changed his shirt a half a dozen times. It's unusual, because he's normally the most serene of all of them before a show. Liam's been bouncing about as normal while Zayn, Louis and Niall are in the corridor having a kick about right up until Paul takes the ball off them, most likely.

All in all, it's been seven years and it's still pretty much the same as it ever was. All except Harry and his inability to sit down.

"Do you think we should have brought him? I think we should have brought him," Harry argues with himself. Mostly, because he hasn't given Liam a chance to answer in the last five minutes since he started pacing the room.

He runs a hand through his hair, long like it was on their first stadium tour because they've both been too busy for hair cuts. Liam likes it like this. Likes how it makes Harry's features all soft and it draws attention to his lips and Liam's always loved Harry's lips.

"He'll be sleeping and it'll be so loud, Haz," Liam says, for what feels like the hundredth time since they've had this discussion. The one it seems as if they've had for the past year now, ever since they started planning the "reunion" tour.

Harry ignores him. 

Also, like he has done since they arrived at Wembley three hours ago.

"He's never been without us both and he was so excited about tonight. We should have brought him."

Liam stops bouncing on his toes and sits down. Just watching Harry is draining enough. He'll have no energy for the show if just looking at Harry wears him out. Harry's tugging at his hair still, pacing back and forth in front of Liam. He's dropped his mic somewhere and his phone is in his hand.

This isn't good.

"I could give him a quick call," 

Liam stands up, taking the phone from Harry's hand with little resistance. 

"Harry, we already discussed all of this. You were the one who didn't want Samuel coming. You were the one that thought he was too young for this, that we were already disrupting his routine enough by even having him on tour with us. That a late night like this with the crowd and the noise would be too much," Liam lists off the reasons they'd both agreed to in the end on his fingers, and it's enough to take some of the puff out of Harry's chest. Stops him still with a frown and a pout that Liam's seen on their boy more of late. 

"But it's his birthday, shouldn't we be with him for his birthday?"

Liam puts the phone on the sofa, taking Harry's hand in his own. "We had his party last month at home, then at your mum's last weekend and we had cake today with the lads and the crew. I'm fairly certain he's all birthday'd out."

Harry's shoulders droop and Liam knows this look. It's the same one their son gets when he doesn't get what he wants. It's adorable on their three year old, not so much on someone who's ten times that and some. Still, it makes Liam smile. It's ridiculous how in love Liam can be with this idiot husband of his, even with him acting like this. 

He tugs Harry into his arms and holds him close. "Babe," he whispers into the soft curls at Harry's ear. "Do you want me to call your mum, see if she'll bring him down?"

Harry bends so he can nuzzle into Liam's neck. It tickles when he huffs out this resigned sigh. "No. You're right. It's just. . . I miss him, you know?"

Liam fights the urge to giggle, but does grin stupidly into Harry's hair. Harry pokes him in the side anyway. "I know it's stupid, but this is a big night. It feels weird not having him here."

Liam rubs his hand soothingly over Harry's back, feels the bumps of his spine through the thin black shirt Harry's wearing. "We're not going to be gone that long, and he's probably asleep now anyway. I don't think he recovered from Zayn's two chasing him round their yard yesterday, or all that sugar this afternoon."

Harry shrugs and somehow squeezes himself closer to Liam, so they're near connected from head to toe. "I know. I know," Harry says sighing once more. 

The door opens with a quiet knock, Paul's voice echoing through the gap. "Fifteen minutes, lads," 

"'right, Paul," Liam answers, still holding Harry. The door snicks quietly behind their old friend who they really didn't have to talk that much into coming out with them for another tour. The pay rise might have had something to do with it, but Liam thought it was probably just because he missed his boys.

"Are you gonna be okay?" Liam squeezes his hand over Harry's hip.

Harry nods after a moment, pulling back enough so Liam can see his face proper. His green eyes are glassy, and there's a bit of wetness on one cheek but when he blinks, its gone. "Yeah, Yeah."

"Give us a kiss then," Liam says with a grin and Harry does, rolling his eyes before smacking his lips to Liam's own, making to move back.

Liam tugs him in again, "A proper one!" he whines and Harry chuckles soft before kissing Liam proper, tongue and all.

They lose themselves in the moment a bit. Harry holding onto Liam's shoulders while Liam's hands slide down over Harry's backside, dragging him in again. Harry answers with a moan, his teeth nipping at Liam's bottom lip. Liam takes advantage, his tongue sliding against Harry's as he deepens their kiss, grinding up against Harry with a shift of his hips. Harry moans again, only pulling back when there's another banging on the door.

"Don't worry about being late, you two! It's only bloody Wembley!" Louis' voice calls through the door, followed by more sound that peters off as he moves down the hall.

Liam presses his lips to Harry's again quick, pulling back out of Harry's reach, only to grab at his hand, linking their fingers close. "C'mon, babe. We'll call as soon as we have first break,"

"Okay. As long as I get to wake him up for a bit when we get back," Harry says. Liam nods because some arguments just aren't worth having. Even if it means they'll have a right royal cranky pants little man tomorrow morning. At least they've got a few hours off before they perform again, long enough to give both Harry time with Sam to ease his guilt and a nap for both of them.

> > > >

Being back onstage gives Liam the same amount of happiness and adrenaline that it used to. It wasn't as if he thought it would be all that different, maybe a little, but seven years have passed since all five of them have performed together. It's a long time in the scheme of remembering harmonies and where to move when they're supposed to, and even after six months of preparation, things could go wrong.

It doesn't though.

They sing loud, and Liam's face hurts from smiling so much. The crowd are this great mix of women and men their age and a little older and those that have been introduced to their stuff from their parents and the Greatest Hits they released three months before. They're all in their element. Zayn hitting all those notes that have never ceased to amaze them all. Louis providing the base to all their harmonies and Niall welcoming the crowd in a speech that has them all in tears after the first two songs.

And Harry?

Harry's dancing around and loving it in a way that makes Liam wonder just how truthful he's been saying he hasn't missed stage life at all. He's been the one to stay at home since they brought Sam home from the hospital three years ago, and the six months before that when they'd found out that Gemma had finally conceived with their child. He's the one that forced Liam to go back to work, songwriting with Louis and recording with Niall. He basically pushed Liam out the door last year so he'd bloody tour his first solo album since Sam was born. It was only fifty shows, with Liam's request get them done as fast as possible so he could get back home.

Harry flew out once when Liam was in Australia, but it was such a long flight and even coming from LA where they'd been based since the band went into "retirement," he couldn't bring Sam. Anne looked after him for the three days that Harry could stand being away, and only then because it was their anniversary and they'd not spent one apart since being married three years before Sam was born. 

So it's understandable that Harry's face falls on the odd occasion when he spots someone that _isn't_ an adult in the crowd. He blows kisses and gets down low to wave to those that are close and looking, but Liam can see how much it's making Harry's heart ache for his own son. It sets Liam's mind, and he ropes Niall into keeping Harry busy when they break, so he can duck off stage under the guise of needing the loo.

> > > >

Harry's not looked at him for three songs. Three songs of total blankness, even when they're supposed to harmonise together over a few verses. It's probably not noticeable to their fans, but the boys keep shooting them looks and Liam has to shrug. It hurts, but it'll be worth it in a little while. 

He dances around with Louis, doing The Joe and a few other ridiculous dance moves they've made up over the years which has the crowd going wild. He and Zayn break into some early JT between songs while Niall changes guitar. It works for the most part, keeping himself occupied and pretending that nothing's wrong with him and Harry right up until he spots someone familiar moving through the secured off part of the floor. It's Harry's turn to talk, and he's wandering the stage, thanking them all again for coming and how much it means to them all that even after all this time, they still have the very best fans in the world.

Liam knows exactly when it is that Harry spots them. He stops mid sentence and his hand goes straight to his chest, over his heart. Even from where he's positioned a little further along the stage beside Louis, he can see the tears welling in Harry's eyes.

"Oh, um. Today's another special day for us, well, for me and Liam," he starts, walking closer to the edge of the stage.

"And there's someone who thinks that apparently, when you turn three you're allowed to stay up as long as you want," he bends down and Anne's smiling as Preston holds Sam up.

He looks like a mini Liam in the clothes Anne's put him in. Blue jeans, black shirt with a Union Jack on the front and his mousey brown hair styled up into spikes that match Liam's own. Liam's still upset that they had to cut off Samuel's curls after Louis' daughter and her "hair salon" chopped a chunk of them off the day before. Still, he looks cute and they'll grow back. Lou's assured he and Harry both.

Harry's glowing under the heavy lights, and probably more from happiness as he stands back up, hitching Sam on his hip.

"Say hi to everyone, Sam," Harry says and the crowd goes absolutely mental. 

Liam's worried about Sam's ears for a minute, even with his little blue earmuffs on. 

Harry holds his mic up to Sam and Niall and Zayn motion for the crowd to quieten down. They do, which is bizarre for the capacity audience but they're quiet enough to hear Sam's answering, "Hullo, friends,"

The answering "Hi Sam!" has Sam ducking his face into Harry's chest, before turning around and waving with his little hand. 

Liam walks over, unable to watch from a distance anymore. They've not had Sam in the public eye all that much. The fact that the band had basically finished, and that he and Harry were virtually out of the spotlight meant they weren't in danger of being pap'd all that often. Which meant Sam had a fairly normal life so far. Apart from the odd red carpet event at Disneyland that Liam and Harry both couldn't deny him, especially when it was his favourite Pixar movie sequel. 

"Sammy, can you tell everyone who's birthday it is today?" Liam asks, stepping up close so Sam's in between them both. Harry fixes him with this deep dimpled grin as Sam looks at his hand, figuring out how many fingers he needs to hold up. 

"Me! I'm three today and we had cake, and Uncle Lou put some in Uncle Niall's hair and it was funny!" Sam says, finding a bit more courage, dark brown eyes staring up at Liam instead of the crowd.

"It was wasn't it!" Liam says, Harry grinning like an idiot as Niall ruffles Louis' hair before ducking out of the accompanying shove off that Louis goes to make in return.

"What do you like about being three, Sam?" Harry asks, having to move his face into the mic that Sam had somehow stolen from his father's hands. 

Liam chuckles, it's not the first time Harry's had his mic nicked from Sam. Anytime they pull out the karaoke machine at home, Sam's always grabbing it and telling Harry to stop. He's not too keen on either of them singing around him, but he'll sing along to all their albums in the car, demanding they play "the beautiful song." Liam's often considered killing Ruth for giving Sam their back catalogue as a present when she'd watched Sam when Harry and Liam attended the Grammy's the year before. 

"I like my football Uncle Louis gaved me, and Grandma let me have chocolate after you left but that's a surprise!"

Harry frowns at his mum, and the crowd laugh, every movement on Harry's face shown on the big screen behind them. "Mum!" Harry says and Liam hides his smile, turning his face to where Niall is bent over chuckling hard. 

"Do you like the show so far, Sam the man?" Louis asks at Liam's side. 

Sam brightens quick at the familiar nickname. A special bond thing that Louis has with Sam, forged over the last six months of rehearsals where all the boys families had virtually lived in each other's pockets. With Sam being an only child, he's enjoyed having all these inbuilt playmates running him ragged, not so much the partners of the boys. Or the few grandparents and aunts that were roped into helping out while One Direction found their feet again. Eight hour days and interviews that always seemed to drag on and on. 

"Oh yes! Grandma and Aunty Gem and me danced a _lot_!" Sam says with a serious nod. 

"No singing, Sammy?" Niall asks, fiddling with the strap of his guitar. Sam turns to look at Niall and nods eagerly. "Oh yes! I sang really, _really_ loud! But you haven't sung my favourite yet,"

"What's that?" Zayn asks and Liam and Harry both groan.

And bless his heart, Sam opens his mouth, belting out the chorus to "What Makes You Beautiful" that the crowd only help to sing a long with him. 

The band kick in with the music and Louis leads them into singing Happy Birthday to Sam to round it off. Sam's face is so utterly filled with joy as he claps his hands, turning his head into Harry's neck at the end when the crowd give him three cheers. 

Sam kisses Liam's cheek when Harry nudges him, then Harry's nose as Harry ducks down and puts Sam back in Preston's arms. They wave bye to their little boy, with Liam wrapping his arm around Harry's waist and Harry leaning on Liam's shoulder, clearly overcome. Liam's a little teary himself. It's a lot sharing this experience with his best friends, his brothers and the man that he loves. His son is something else entirely. His heart might actually burst, he's feeling so much.

"Let's carry this on shall we, lads? A little Up All Night for our little man who is doing just that!" 

Jon starts in on the keyboard and the boys slip across the stage leaving Liam and Harry still together. Harry bites at Liam's shoulder, mouthing a quick "thank you" before taking off as Liam opens the first verse.

> > > >

 

Harry doesn't wake Sam up when they get back in, he's barely keeping his eyes open himself, relying more on Liam to guide him down the hall. They stand in the doorway, though, watching him sleep like they always promised themselves they wouldn't do. That all changed, the moment they brought Sam home. Liam could probably count the nights on both hands where one or both of them _haven't_ stopped and stared at their sleeping son in the last three years. 

"Tonight was the best," Harry slurs, swaying on his feet so he has to cling onto Liam a bit more just to remain upright. They may have had more than their fair share of celebratory drinks after the show wound up just before midnight. 

They're going to be regretting it for sure, when Samuel wakes up at his regular time of six o'clock. On the dot. Harry claims he gets his early starts from Liam. This is one of those times that he's going to wish that Sam wasn't so very much part his son.

"Did I say thank you for calling mum?" Harry asks, his lips pressed mostly on Liam's cheek, wet as they travel down to his ear.

Liam fits his arm a little more securely around Harry's waist as Harry's near sticking his tongue in Liam's ear. He's always so bloody handsy when he's drunk. 

"Yeah, babe. You've told me. A lot,"

He's been saying it every five minutes since they left the bar and before that, when he'd tried to drag Liam to the loo's to "show him" how thankful he was.

"Well I am. I am very, very happy you talked to my mum. Did you hear them all singing to him? How are we gonna top that one?" Harry asks with a sigh, nuzzling at the scruff of Liam's jaw.

"I don't know, Haz. Maybe we'll just have to play a different stadium for every birthday he has until he's up on stage, playing on his own,"

"You think he'll sing like you?" Harry asks, snuggling into Liam's side. 

Liam shrugs. It's far too early to tell. Sam loves singing as much as he loves playing on his little ukelele that Niall bought when he was born. He loves cooking with Harry as much as he loves playing American Football with Cal when he pops around. He spends hours drawing picture books to send to Zayn and saving all sorts of animals he finds in their yard. The amount of dead bugs Liam and Harry have had to preside over funerals of is not something Liam ever thought he'd spend doing on his afternoons off. Always dressed in suits and shiny shoes because Sam deemed they had to look proper.

"You sing to you know. It's not just me he gets whatever talent he has from." Liam adds, pressing his lips to Harry's forehead.

Harry pushes at Liam until his back lines up a little painfully with the doorjamb. "Dances like you though. Got your rhythm and stuff," Harry says, pushing his hips into Liam's, his intent clearly shown.

"Stuff?" Liam says as Harry tugs at Liam's hand, breaking away from Liam with a nip of his teeth to Liam's jaw.

"Stuff." Harry says, walking backward, dragging Liam toward their room. "Stuff I think I need a further demonstration of,"

"Oh really?" Liam answers, following his husband. He's ever so thankful that they'd not rented out the London house this year, even if it meant it was empty while they'd still been at home in LA. 

At least now, there's some thick walls between them, Harry's mum and Robin and their son. 

He plans on "demonstrating" his dance moves in ways that will have Harry very vocal of his appreciation. Harry's never one to be shy after all.


End file.
